


Inside the Beast Still Grows

by lusium



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Ana is an Ifrit, Everyone is something different, Jack is a Griffin, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reinhardt is a giant, because i couldnt find anything fitting, except for like winston bastion and zenyatta, mythical AU, widowmaker is mentioned at first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-29 23:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8509270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lusium/pseuds/lusium
Summary: the clock finally reading 3:01 AM, the glow abruptly stopped, though the troubled look remained on his face. Peaceful dreams tainted nightmares, haunted by crimson eyes, an otherworldly rage, and a bone white mask





	

“Are you sure that’s gonna work?”

His attention was focused on the man in front of him, his back was pressed against the restroom door, keeping it shut as his partner struggled to rip the zipper of the jacket open; snow white feathers stuck between the teeth of the zipper and locking the slider where it was. He could see the strain as the feathered man attempted not to completely destroy the zipper, talons clicking against the metal with the low, continuous growl echoing up from the man’s throat.

“Jack how did you even get in this mess in the first place?” He asked after a moment, watching Jack pause in front of the mirror to send him a look out of the corner of his eye; the huff of annoyance being his only answer as Jack went back to the struggle. For as serious as he tried to present himself, the Griffin always ended up in a situation such as this. If it’s not just freeing something from his feathers, then it’s freeing his feathers from something else.

A sigh left Gabriel’s throat as his arms crossed over his chest; leaning more of his weight back against the restroom door as he heard footsteps approaching. He couldn’t stop himself from tensing as the steps stopped in front of the door, relaxing slightly as Ana’s familiar voice filtered through the door.

_“How’s he doing in there, Gabriel?”_

Her tone was filled with concern, knowing all too well how long it would take Jack to get through tearing his feathers out to free them from the zipper, and just how frustrated it would inevitably cause the Griffin to be afterwards.

“Well, it’s definitely better than the last time this happened. He’s not threatening anyone with bodily harm just yet.” He answered, seeing the amused smile from the woman on the other side of the door that would accompany her faint laugh.

“If you insist, I’m going back to the table. You know what to do if he needs assistance.” Ana said, the sound of her footsteps growing faint telling him she’d already gone back down the hall before he could answer her. Leaving him to reflect on his thoughts of just how he’d gotten mixed into this odd crowd of creatures that were supposed to be mythical; but possessed living proof of how there were very much alive and breathing.

His attention drifted up to the still struggling Griffin. Jack Morrison, they’d been begrudging partners in the Police Academy after Jack had seen the oddly shaped mark Gabriel had on his chest and shoulder. Despite their rocky start to what he could describe as a ‘friendship,’ Jack had more often than not managed to keep him from losing his temper at some rather mundane things. They’d graduated at the same time, even joined the same police station as newbies. It wasn’t until 3 years into the job that he’d found out that Jack wasn’t human, of course he’d had his suspicions prior to actually finding out.

* * *

_He’d been stuck watching a certain block from suspicion of criminal activity, why exactly they put him there he wasn’t all too sure. But nonetheless he’d waited where he was stationed, keeping an eye open for any suspicious activity._

_And he’d managed to find someone too, a suspicious character that had been lurking around, peering into cars that were left parked on the road. He had approached them just to ask what they were doing originally; but they’d charged off. Somewhere near the middle of the chase he’d started feeling light headed. Next thing he knew, he was shoved under a large bulk, the tickle of feathers at his face forcing his eyes to focus as clawed hands landed on either side of his face, a beak opening slightly to let out an enraged shriek._

_His hands flew to his ears, trying to block out the shriek as the creature above him took what he could only describe as a protective stance over him, the wings at its sides flaring open as the feathers along its throat and chest puffed up to give it the illusion of being larger than it truly was. The creature’s head had lowered, blocking the rest of him from view as a frustrated warble came from what he was guessing the creature was blocking him off from. Footsteps rapidly disappearing as feathers smoothed themselves down and the creature had peeled itself away from standing over him. In what light the nearby street light gave, he could make out just enough of the creature’s features to determine that he must have lost his mind._

_There was_ No Way _that a Griffin was standing in front of him. There’s no way that Griffins were real. He was dreaming, that’s it! Fell asleep at his post and he’s going to wake up to Jack smacking him in the back of the head to wake him up and end up getting scolded for falling asleep at his post! He’ll wake up_ any _second now._

_As his silent pleading went on, his mind running in circles, the Griffin padded closer. Treading cautiously as his hand went subconsciously to where he would have his pistol, had it still been in its holster if it wasn’t already lying broken on the ground just out of his reach._

* * *

The memory stopped abruptly as he was jostled back into reality by a taloned hand smacked into his shoulder, a hum of acknowledgement as he moved himself off the restroom door. Gabriel took a moment’s pause, making sure that the few remaining clues to Jack’s inhuman nature had disappeared completely before actually allowing his partner to leave the room. Following behind him at a leisurely pace.

Back at the table, sat another two bodies. Looking up from her tea as the two approached, Ana gave a faint smile in acknowledgement, her one visible eye briefly glimmering a bright red as she set her teacup down and reached over to grab the two abandoned coffee mugs. The chilled coffee easily being brought back to a steaming, near boil.

“You were gone so long, I was beginning to think Jack took leave through the bathroom window?” She hummed, arching an eyebrow as the larger body next to her glanced up from his drink, a smile easily forming back on his face as he straightened up. A hand slamming down on the table with the rattling of silverware

“You’ve returned! Bested not by the zipper! You are unharmed yes?” The large man asked, his voice easily echoing through the empty coffee shop as the sound of a vaguely amused snort came from the Griffin next to him.

“I didn’t try to leave through the window Ana, and I defeated the zipper Reinhardt, you might want to curb your enthusiasm, we’re still within the human eye.” Jack said, easily sliding into the booth to grab his drink, careful of where Ana had touched to prevent from burning himself on the heated plastic.

Gabriel gave an honest attempt at hiding the smile pulling at his lips, seeing his trio of closest companions looking so much happier than they had in the previous years knowing that they didn’t have to hide their true origins. His attention drifted from Ana to Reinhardt as he slid into the booth beside Jack, gingerly taking his cup where the one eyed woman hadn’t touched so he didn’t burn his hands.

He had always known there was something different about the two sitting across from him, having met them around the same time he’d met Jack, though he hadn’t been told what they were until a couple of months after he’d had his griffin ‘sighting’ confirmed by his partner.

Ana Amari, an Ifrit. Hailing from Egypt with her daughter Pharah was perhaps one of the best shots he’d seen aside from himself and Jack, easily besting them both when it came to long range shots on the practice range. He still didn’t know much of the story behind her missing eye, something to do with a ‘widowmaker’ that he no longer bothered pursuing the story of after seeing how the mere mention of the mystery person sent his trio of companions into tense silences.

Reinhardt Wilhelm, a giant. Hailing from Germany, he was certainly one hell of a trainer. Usually the one to accompany Jack and Gabriel on their morning training as their target they had to neutralize in hand to hand combat. He’d heard the tales of just what Reinhardt could do with his weapon of choice, finding guns too loud and unwieldy. If he was to believe the giant, then he would doubt there being any sort of maximum security area that could keep him out.

His mind once more was brought to the present as his name was called, a sheepish apology given as he easily lost himself back into the conversation. A smile pulling at his lips as Reinhardt quickly pulled the trio of them (and the barista at the counter who was pretending to wipe the coffee machine down) into a twisting and rounding tale of giants and a lost hammer.

* * *

It had been several hours later when they’d finally called it a night. His eyes closing briefly as he heard the click of his front door close behind him; easily flipping through his nightly routine of making sure his home was clear of any unwanted visitors (he’d had a lot of spiders getting in his house as of late… it was slightly concerning in all honesty.) and making sure everything was still in its right place…. _Just in case._

With his ritual done, Gabriel made his way into his bedroom, easily shedding his clothes until he was just in his undershirt and boxers before shimmying his way under his blanket. Not caring how childish he looked since he was home alone and nobody could judge him, rolling onto his back as the day’s tension drained easily from his body, the usual exhaustion making sleep come easier than the night before. It wasn’t 5 minutes before the tendrils of sleep had brought him under, setting the house into a silent, resting place.

The hours passed by swiftly, the digital alarm clock at his nightstand reading 3 AM when a faint crimson light began to fill the room, steadily glowing brighter as the digital numbers flickered faintly, refusing to show the time going forward as the light grew brighter and brighter. The room glowing bright crimson. The peaceful look on Gabriels face growing troubled, fisting the fabric of his undershirt with a low growl. The motion pulling the neck of the shirt down to show the mark burning brightly.

As the time ticked on, the clock finally reading 3:01 AM, the glow abruptly stopped, though the troubled look remained on his face. Peaceful dreams tainted nightmares, haunted by crimson eyes, an otherworldly rage, and a bone white mask throughout the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this on a whim, 'cause a dream I had wouldn't let me not do it. But yeah.
> 
> First chapter is just to gauge interest in the story.
> 
> Reviews are great! They let me know if I'm doing something right and if people enjoy it.


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